The arrest 14:43-52

v43 Immediately, while Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of the 12 *disciples, arrived. He had with him a crowd of people who were holding swords and heavy sticks. The chief priests, the *scribes and the other leaders had sent them. v44 The man who was handing Jesus over to his enemies had given them a sign. He said, ‘The man whom I kiss is the man. Arrest him and take him away. And guard him well.’ v45 When he arrived, immediately Judas went near to Jesus. He said, ‘Teacher’, and kissed him. v46 Then they seized Jesus and they held him. v47 One of the men who were standing near drew his sword. He struck the *chief priest’s servant, and he cut off the servant’s ear. v48 Then Jesus said to them, ‘You have come out with swords and heavy sticks to seize me as if I were a thief. v49 I have been with you in the *Temple day after day. I was teaching there and you did not seize me. But let the *scriptures come true.’ v50 And the *disciples all left him and they ran away. v51 A certain young man was following Jesus. He was wearing only a sheet. They seized him. v52 But he left the sheet, and he ran away naked. Verse 43 It was terrible for Judas to hand Jesus over to his enemies. ‘One of the 12 *disciples’ again emphasises that. The *Sanhedrin sent soldiers with tools to fight with. It seems that they expected Jesus to oppose arrest. And perhaps they expected his *disciples to defend him. They thought that Jesus was trying to establish a political *kingdom. They thought that Jesus would try to gain that *kingdom by force. Verses 44-45 It might have been difficult to identify Jesus in the dark among the trees. So, Judas had arranged to kiss Jesus, so that they would know the right person to arrest. He spoke to him as ‘Teacher’. People usually kissed a teacher. That showed that they respected him. But Judas did not give Jesus that sort of kiss. It was a kiss that normally showed great love. Verse 47 It was Peter who attacked the servant. John tells us that. John also tells us that the servant’s name was Malchus (John 18:10). The *chief priest was Caiaphas (John 18:13). Luke tells us that Jesus cured the servant’s ear (Luke 22:51). Verses 48-49 Jesus said that there had been plenty of opportunity to arrest him in the *Temple. They were trying to arrest him in secret, as if he were a thief. Jesus had once accused them of behaving like thieves (Mark 11:17). The *scriptures were coming true. Mark does not say which *scriptures of the *Old Testament they were. Jesus knew that his arrest was in the plan of God. He also said that the *disciples would leave him. Verse 50 His words came true as they rushed away. Verses 51-52 A young man avoided arrest and he ran away naked. The incident is only in Mark’s *Gospel. It is probable that Mark himself was the young man. His home in Jerusalem became a meeting place for *disciples (Acts 12:12). It is possible that the Last Supper was in his house. He had followed Jesus and the *disciples to the garden because he was curious. Judas did not return to the house before he led the crowd to Gethsemane. Otherwise, Mark might have tried to warn Jesus. But Mark had arrived too late.